Chairman's Press

American Hospital Association: "We welcome the nomination of Alex Azar to be Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. We are confident that his extensive background in business, health care and medicine distinguishes him as a uniquely qualified candidate for the vacancy. The expertise garnered from his career in the private sector and prior public service at HHS as Deputy Secretary will prove to be particularly valuable in addressing the serious challenges facing our nation's he… Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2017 - Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) made the following statements after the Senate today sent to the president legislation that would speed safe drugs and devices for use in battlefield emergencies:
Alexander said: "There was a problem and this legislation is going to give FDA the tools to solve that problem by getting safe and effective medicines more rapidly to warfighters on… Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2017 - Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today made the following statement about new Food and Drug Administration guidance on regenerative medicine:
"I am glad Commissioner Gottlieb is implementing the 21st Century Cures Act in such a way that Americans can access the near-miracles regenerative medicine can provide while ensuring bad actors don't take advantage of the hope and promise in this field to harm or defraud patients looking for help.… Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, November 16 - Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after meeting this morning with Alex Azar-President Trump's nominee for United States Secretary of Health and Human Services:
"I was glad to host Alex Azar in my office this morning and was impressed with his knowledge and experience. As a former Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services and private sector executive, Alex Azar has the qualifications to get results."
The Sen… Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, November 15, 2017 - Today, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee held a confirmation hearing on four of the President's nominees for positions at the Department of Education and the Department of Labor.
For the Education Department, Brigadier General Mitchel Zais is nominated to serve as Deputy Secretary and James Blew is nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development. For the Labor Department, Kate O'Scannlain is no… Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, November 15, 2017 - At a Senate health committee hearing today with Surgeon General Jerome Adams, Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said that Dr. Adams' focus on wellness could have a real impact on the lives of millions of Americans.
"Dr. Adams said at his confirmation hearing he would make wellness a centerpiece of his agenda and has said his first Surgeon General's Report will focus on health and the economy," said Alexander. "It makes sense for that to be his focus, be… Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, November 14, 2017 - Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said that "gene editing technology, like CRISPR-cas9, has the potential to transform human health, when used properly."
"CRISPR is a form of gene editing that essentially uses molecules that can be targeted to act as scissors to cut and edit genes," said Alexander. "In a way, it is like cutting and pasting in a computer document. That may be an oversimplification, but this technology is less expe… Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, November 13 - Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on President Trump's selection of Alex Azar to serve as United States Secretary of Health and Human Services:
"As a former Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services and private sector executive, Alex Azar has the qualifications and experience to get results. The Senate health committee will promptly schedule a hearing on his nomination."
###… Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, November 8, 2017 - House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN), and Senate Select Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC) released the following statement regarding a provision within the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that could endanger U.S. military personnel by exposing them to treatments without the critical oversight of the Food and Drug Administra… Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, November 8, 2017 - Senate labor committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on his vote to confirm Peter Robb to serve as General Counsel for the National Labor Relations Board:
"As General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, Peter Robb will have an opportunity to help restore the labor board to the role of a neutral umpire in labor disputes after years of the board acting more like an advocate for organized labor under the previous… Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 7, 2017 - Senate labor committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said the House passage - by a vote of 242 to 181 - of the bipartisan Save Local Business Act "restores the path to the American dream" for owners of 780,000 franchise businesses.
"Today's House passage of the Save Local Business Act is good news for the owners of this country's 780,000 franchise businesses -- health clubs, barber shops, neighborhood restaurants -- who saw their path to the Am… Continue Reading

MARYVILLE, Tennessee, November 3-Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed The CHAMPION Act, which extends funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and extends mandatory funding for important public health programs in the Senate health committee's jurisdiction:
"I'm glad that when the House voted today to extend funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program-which provide… Continue Reading

MARYVILLE, Tennessee, November 3-Senate labor committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after the Senate confirmed Kyle Fortson as a member of the National Mediation Board:
"A dedicated public servant, Kyle Fortson is eminently qualified to serve on the board. While this is a loss for the Senate labor committee, and I am sorry Kyle will no longer be a part of my staff, I am certain her diligence and expertise will be an asset to the board."
Fortson ha… Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 1 - The Affordable Care Act has failed to live up to its promises since day one. As this year's open enrollment for Obamacare begins, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) today released the following analysis on the status of Obamacare for Americans - another year of higher costs, fewer health insurance options, and increased taxpayer burden.[1] Alexander and Ha… Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, November 1, 2017 - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said today, as open enrollment begins, his bipartisan bill will help the hardworking Tennesseans who are "getting hammered" because they buy insurance in the individual health insurance market and don't get a government subsidy to help them. These are the people who will have the highest percentage increase in premiums for HealthCare.gov states nationwide.
"Under the Alexander-Murray plan, if you're one of the roughly 150… Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 31 - Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) in a radio interview with A.B. Stoddard said that under his bipartisan legislation with Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and 22 Senate cosponsors, $3.1 billion will be rebated to taxpayers, with billions more in rebates to consumers.
At the beginning of the interview on the senator's bipartisan bill, Stoddard said, "This week, we had big news - which is that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office came out wi… Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, October 31, 2017-Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said that "electronic health records are a critical piece to the future of medical innovation and the success of the 21st Century Cures Act, and I intend to ensure these provisions are implemented properly."
"Last December, we passed the 21st Century Cures Act, legislation we hope will help virtually every American family by taking advantage of breathtaking advances in biomedical research," Alexander s… Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, October 31, 2017-Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) in remarks on the Senate floor yesterday evening, said that hardworking Tennesseans-not insurance companies-are the ones hurt by congressional inaction on Obamacare's cost-sharing reduction payments.
"When the 18 million Americans in the individual insurance market-those are Americans, shop keepers, song writers, farmers - men and women who don't get health insurance from the government or on the job-when th… Continue Reading